Hammer for installing a gasket into a joint between two pipes

ABSTRACT

A hammer for installing a gasket into a joint between two pipes, the hammer comprising two opposed substantially rectangular, non-square strike surfaces which are rotationally offset from one another by 90 degrees such that an appropriate substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface may be selected by the user and applied to a gasket by simply rotating the hammer in the user&#39;s hands without requiring the user to relocate around the gasket.

REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION

This patent application claims benefit of pending prior U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/396,581, filed Sep. 19, 2016 by JohnManning for HAMMER FOR INSTALLING A GASKET (Attorney's Docket No.WOOLFSON-3 PROV), which patent application is hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hammers in general, and more particularly to anovel hammer for installing a gasket into a joint between two pipes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Large water, sewer and gas pipelines are typically made up of sectionsof pipe which are joined together at a joint. In order to fluidicallyseal the joint, a large rubber gland or “gasket” is typically installedat the joint between two pipes. See, for example, FIG. 1 which shows twopipes 5, 10 meeting at a joint 15. Joint 15 is typically characterizedby a gap 20 between the two pipes. A gasket 25 is disposed in gap 20 soas to fludically seal joint 15. By way of example but not limitation, inthe plumbing industry, this type of joint is sometimes referred to as a“mechanical joint”.

Gasket 25 is typically installed into gap 20, between pipes 5, 10, bystriking the gasket with a hammer so as to drive the gasket into the gapbetween the two pipes and thereby fluidically seal the gap between thetwo pipes. It will be appreciated that, to this end, it is desirable tostrike the gasket with a blunt hammer surface, as opposed to strikingthe gasket with a “pointed” hammer surface (such as that found on brickand claw hammers) since it is important not to damage the gasket duringgasket installation. In this respect it will be appreciated that suchbrick and claw hammers are commonly found at construction sites buttheir use for installing pipe gaskets is strongly discouraged (and insome cases prohibited) by pipe installation inspectors. It will also beappreciated that, when installing a gasket into the joint between twopipes, it is desirable to strike only the gasket with the hammer, and toavoid striking an adjacent pipe, since this could damage the pipe.

It has been found that traditional ballpeen hammers lack sufficient massto drive the gasket into the gap between the pipes.

It has also been found that traditional sledge hammers are too large foruse in hammering gasket 25 into gap 20, i.e., they are too large tostrike the gasket without also striking the adjacent pipe.

It should be appreciated that significant force is typically required todrive the gasket into the gap between the two pipes. Force is generatedby a user swinging the hammer, however, the user requires space aroundthe junction of the two pipes in order to swing the hammer and generatea sufficient force to drive the gasket into the gap between the twopipes. This can present a challenge where access to the gasket islimited, e.g., where the two pipes which are to be joined are located ina trench. Furthermore, it is often necessary to access all sides of thejoint between the two pipes so as to ensure that the gasket is drivenevenly and effectively into the gap between the two pipes. In order toreach all sides of the pipe joint, a user must typically reach overand/or around the joint in order to hammer the gasket into place. Thus,it can be difficult to effectively strike the gasket with the hammer,and/or to generate enough force with the hammer to drive the gasket intothe gap between the two pipes, particularly where access to the gasketis limited.

Ideally, it is preferable to use a hammer comprising a substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface (i.e., a strike surface matchingthe radial thickness of the gasket) to hammer the gasket into place,since this allows maximum contact with the gasket without striking theadjacent pipe. However, when using a hammer having such a substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface, the user needs to be able toaddress the gasket “head on” (i.e., facing the radius of the pipe) suchthat the substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface of thehammer appropriately addresses the gasket. Unfortunately, this requiresthe user to “move around” the joint when installing the gasket so as toensure that the substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface ofthe hammer always addresses the gasket “head on”.

Thus there is a need for a new and improved hammer which is configuredto deliver sufficient force to a gasket in order to install the gasketinto the gap at a joint between two pipes. There is also a need for anew and improved hammer which allows a user to efficiently apply asubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface to the gasketwithout requiring that the user move around the joint between the twopipes so as to ensure that the substantially rectangular, non-squarestrike surface of the hammer always addresses the gasket “head on”.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the present invention comprises a novel hammer having twoopposed substantially rectangular, non-square strike surfaces which arerotationally offset from one another by 90 degrees such that anappropriate substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface may beselected by the user and applied to a gasket by simply rotating thehammer in the user's hands without requiring the user to relocate aroundthe gasket.

In one form of the invention, there is provided a hammer for installinga gasket into a joint between two pipes, the hammer comprising twoopposed substantially rectangular, non-square strike surfaces which arerotationally offset from one another by 90 degrees such that anappropriate substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface may beselected by the user and applied to a gasket by simply rotating thehammer in the user's hands without requiring the user to relocate aroundthe gasket.

In another form of the invention, there is provided a hammer forinstalling a gasket into a joint between two pipes, the hammercomprising:

a handle; and

a head comprising a first arm, a second arm and a neck, wherein the neckis aligned with, and extends away from, the handle, the first armextends away from the longitudinal axis of the neck and the handle, andthe second arm extends away from the longitudinal axis of the neck andthe handle, with the second arm extending in the opposite direction tothe first arm;

wherein the first arm comprises a body terminating in a firstsubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein the firstsubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface is defined by afirst height dimension and a first width dimension, with the first widthdimension being longer than the first height dimension,

wherein the second arm comprises a body terminating in a secondsubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein the secondsubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface is defined by asecond height dimension and a second width dimension, with the secondheight dimension being longer than the second width dimension.

In another form of the invention, there is provided a method forinstalling a gasket into a joint between two pipes, the methodcomprising:

providing a hammer for installing a gasket into a joint between twopipes, the hammer comprising:

-   -   a handle; and    -   a head comprising a first arm, a second arm and a neck, wherein        the neck is aligned with, and extends away from, the handle, the        first arm extends away from the longitudinal axis of the neck        and the handle, and the second arm extends away from the        longitudinal axis of the neck and the handle, with the second        arm extending in the opposite direction to the first arm;    -   wherein the first arm comprises a body terminating in a first        substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein        the first substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface        is defined by a first height dimension and a first width        dimension, with the first width dimension being longer than the        first height dimension,    -   wherein the second arm comprises a body terminating in a second        substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein        the second substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface        is defined by a second height dimension and a second width        dimension, with the second height dimension being longer than        the second width dimension;

grasping the hammer so that one of the first substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface and the second substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface faces away from the user;

striking the gasket using that one of the first substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface and the second substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface;

rotating the hammer within the hand of the user so that the other one ofthe first substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface and thesecond substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface faces awayfrom the user; and

striking the gasket using that other one of the first substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface and the second substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention will bemore fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is tobe considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein likenumbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a gasket disposed in a gap between twopipes;

FIGS. 2-7 are schematic views showing a novel hammer formed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views showing the novel hammer of FIGS. 2-7being used to install a gasket into the gap between two pipes so as tofluidically seal the joint between the two pipes; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing another novel hammer formed inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel hammerhaving two opposed substantially rectangular, non-square strike surfaceswhich are rotationally offset from one another by 90 degrees, such thatan appropriate substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface maybe selected by the user and applied to a gasket by simply rotating thehammer in the user's hands without requiring the user to relocate aroundthe gasket.

Looking first at FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a novel hammer 30 formedin accordance with the present invention. Novel hammer 30 generallycomprises a handle 35 and a head 40 which extends away from one end ofhandle 35.

More particularly, head 40 generally comprises a first arm 45, a secondarm 50 and a neck 53. Neck 53 is aligned with, and extends away from,handle 35. First arm 45 extends away from the longitudinal axis of neck53 and handle 35, and second arm 50 extends away from the longitudinalaxis of neck 53 and handle 35, with second arm 50 extending in theopposite direction to first arm 45. First arm 45 and second arm 50 arepreferably of equal mass, such that the center of mass of hammer 30 issubstantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of neck 53 and handle35.

Looking next at FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, first arm 45 comprises a body 55terminating in a substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface60. Substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 60 is definedby a height dimension 65 and a width dimension 70, with width dimension70 being longer than height dimension 65. It will be appreciated that,in a preferred form of the present invention, substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface 60 is sized and configured so as tosubstantially match the configuration of a standard gasket whenaddressing the gasket “head on”, e.g., height dimension 65 issubstantially the same as the radial thickness of the gasket, and widthdimension 70 is less than the curvature of gasket 25. As a result ofthis configuration, and as will hereinafter be discussed in greaterdetail, when the user is addressing the portion of the gasket to behammered “head on”, the user can use first arm 45 of hammer 30 to seatthat portion of the gasket in the gap between the two pipes. The edgesof substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 60 arepreferably radiused or chamfered at 75 so as to eliminate sharp edgeswhich could damage a gasket.

Looking next at FIGS. 5-7, second arm 50 comprises a body 80 terminatingin a substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 85.Substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 85 is defined by aheight dimension 90 and a width dimension 95, with width dimension 95being shorter than height dimension 90. It will be appreciated that, ina preferred form of the present invention, substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface 85 is sized and configured so as tosubstantially match the configuration of a standard gasket whenaddressing the gasket “tangentially”, e.g., width dimension 95 issubstantially the same as the radial thickness of the gasket, and heightdimension 90 is less than the curvature of gasket 25. As a result ofthis configuration, and as will hereinafter be discussed in greaterdetail, when the user is addressing the portion of the gasket to behammered “tangentially”, the user can use second arm 50 of hammer 30 toseat that portion of the gasket in the gap between the two pipes. Theedges of substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 85 arepreferably radiused or chamfered at 100 so as to eliminate sharp edgeswhich could damage a gasket.

It should be appreciated that substantially rectangular, non-squarestrike surface 60 and substantially rectangular, non-square strikesurface 85 are opposed to one another, and rotationally offset from oneanother by 90 degrees, such that an appropriate substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface may be selected by the user andapplied to a gasket by simply rotating the hammer in the user's handswithout requiring the user to relocate around the gasket. Furthermore,it will be appreciated that first arm 45 and second arm 50 are sized andweighted such that hammer 30 has sufficient mass to deliver a desiredforce to a gasket when hammer 30 is swung by a user in a confined space,as will hereinafter be discussed.

In one preferred form of the invention, head 40 is hardened, polished orcoated, etc. so as to keep substantially rectangular, non-square strikesurfaces 60, 85 smooth throughout the life of hammer 30. By providingsmooth substantially rectangular, non-square strike surfaces 60, 85,damage to a gasket can be minimized when hammer 30 is used to install agasket.

It should also be appreciated that the radial thickness of “standard”gaskets are frequently constant, even for gaskets which are used whenconnecting pipes ranging from about 3 inches in diameter to about 36inches or larger in diameter. Thus, novel hammer 30 can be used toinstall a gasket for a wide variety of pipeline installations.

If desired, handle 35 may be generally symmetrical, and handle 35 maycomprise a tactile feature (e.g., a grip, molding, rubberized coating,etc.) to enhance gripping by the user and for minimizing vibration.Additionally, handle 35 may be brightly colored (e.g., fluorescentyellow, orange, green, etc.) so as to be easily locatable in dark ormuddy work environments. Also, if desired, handle 35 may be elongated soas to provide the user with greater reach for accessing a gasket (e.g.,where a pipe is located in a trench and the user is installing thegasket from outside the trench).

Exemplary Use of the Novel Hammer

Looking now at FIGS. 8 and 9, hammer 30 is shown installing gasket 25 ingap 20 between pipe 5 and pipe 10.

More particularly, when the user is going to hammer the portion ofgasket 25 which is disposed “head on” to the user (FIG. 8), so that theradial thickness of the gasket is presented to the user, the userorients hammer 30 so that first arm 45 addresses the gasket. The userthen uses hammer 30 to hammer gasket 25 into place, with substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface 60 engaging the gasket in themanner shown in FIG. 8.

Correspondingly, when the user is going to hammer the portion of gasket25 which is disposed “tangential” to the user (FIG. 9), so that thetangent of the gasket is presented to the user, the user orients hammer30 so that second arm 50 addresses the gasket. The user then uses hammer30 to hammer gasket 25 into place, with substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface 85 engaging the gasket in the manner shown inFIG. 9.

Thus it will be seen that, with the present invention, the user mayselect an appropriate substantially rectangular, non-square strikesurface of the hammer for addressing a given portion of a gasket bysimply rotating the hammer in the user's hand, without the user havingto move relative to the gasket.

Fabrication of Hammer 30

It will be appreciated that hammer 30 may be fabricated in a variety ofways without departing from the scope of the present invention. By wayof example but not limitation, head 40 of hammer 30 may be cast (FIGS.2-7), and then neck 53 of head 40 secured to handle 35. Alternatively,head 40 of hammer 30 may be forged (FIG. 10), and then neck 53 of head40 secured to handle 35.

It is also possible for head 40 and handle 35 to be formed as a single,integral unit. By way of example but not limitation, head 40 and handle35 may be cast (FIGS. 2-7) as a single, integral unit. Alternatively,head 40 and handle 35 may be forged (FIG. 10) as a single, integralunit.

Exemplary “Sizing” of Hammer 30

It is important the hammer 30 be properly “sized” for its intended usein installing a gasket into a joint between two pipes.

To this end, hammer 30 preferably has a “mass” (i.e., weight) of betweenabout 1.0 pound and about 5.0 pounds.

And to this end, substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface 60of first arm 45 of hammer 30 preferably has a height dimension 65 ofbetween about ¼ inch and about 1.0 inch and a width dimension 70 ofbetween about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inches, and substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface 85 of hammer 30 preferably has aheight dimension 90 of between about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inches and awidth dimension 95 of between about ¼ inch and about 1.0 inch.

Modifications of the Preferred Embodiments

It should be understood that many additional changes in the details,materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been hereindescribed and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the presentinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art while still remainingwithin the principles and scope of the invention.

1. A hammer for installing a gasket into a joint between two pipes, thehammer comprising two opposed substantially rectangular, non-squarestrike surfaces which are rotationally offset from one another by 90degrees such that an appropriate substantially rectangular, non-squarestrike surface may be selected by the user and applied to a gasket bysimply rotating the hammer in the user's hands without requiring theuser to relocate around the gasket.
 2. A hammer for installing a gasketinto a joint between two pipes, the hammer comprising: a handle; and ahead comprising a first arm, a second arm and a neck, wherein the neckis aligned with, and extends away from, the handle, the first armextends away from the longitudinal axis of the neck and the handle, andthe second arm extends away from the longitudinal axis of the neck andthe handle, with the second arm extending in the opposite direction tothe first arm; wherein the first arm comprises a body terminating in afirst substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein thefirst substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface is defined bya first height dimension and a first width dimension, with the firstwidth dimension being longer than the first height dimension, whereinthe second arm comprises a body terminating in a second substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface, wherein the second substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface is defined by a second heightdimension and a second width dimension, with the second height dimensionbeing longer than the second width dimension.
 3. A hammer according toclaim 2 wherein the first arm and the second arm are preferably of equalmass, such that the center of mass of the hammer is substantiallyaligned with the longitudinal axis of the neck and the handle.
 4. Ahammer according to claim 2 wherein the first height dimension of thefirst arm is substantially equal to the second width dimension of thesecond arm, and wherein the first width dimension of the first arm issubstantially equal to the second height dimension of the second arm. 5.A hammer according to claim 2 wherein the first substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface is sized and configured so as tosubstantially match the configuration of a standard gasket whenaddressing the gasket “head on”, and wherein the second substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface is sized and configured so as tosubstantially match the configuration of a standard gasket whenaddressing the gasket “tangentially”.
 6. A hammer according to claim 5wherein the first height dimension of the first substantiallyrectangular, non-square strike surface, and the second width dimensionof the second substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, issubstantially the same as the radial thickness of a standard gasket. 7.A hammer according to claim 5 wherein the first width dimension of thefirst substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface, and thesecond height dimension of the second substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface, is less than the curvature of a standardgasket.
 8. A hammer according to claim 2 wherein the edges of the firstsubstantially rectangular, non-square strike surface are radiused orchamfered and wherein the edges of the second substantially rectangular,non-square strike surface are radiused or chamfered.
 9. A hammeraccording to claim 2 wherein the hammer has a mass of between about 1.0pound and about 5.0 pounds.
 10. A hammer according to claim 2 whereinthe first substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface has afirst height dimension of between about ¼ inch and about 1.0 inch and afirst width dimension of between about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inches,and the second substantially rectangular, non-square strike surface hasa second height dimension of between about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inchesand a second width dimension of between about ¼ inch and about 1.0 inch.11.-19. (canceled)